Repairs
by BirdsAlwaysFlyAway
Summary: My submission for tlcshipweeks 2015-2016. Cinder x Kai week, day 4, theme: repairs. Cinder gets sick and Kai is required to hold a press conference about it.


The Eastern Commonwealth's press room was full to bursting with reporters, all juggling equipment that threatened to fall from their hands and pushing each other to find a better position amongst the crowd. Some were muttering cusswords under their breaths as they were shoved aside by over-eager reporters, while others kept their eyes trained on the curtain from where the emperor was expected to appear from, craning their necks to see past the taller people in the crowd. Emperor Kaito had become infamous for his newsworthy emergency announcements to the country, and news stations had come to rely on this simple fact to sell big stories in the media that could run for weeks – sometimes even months, depending on the gossip columns – at a time.

When Emperor Kaito did emerge from behind the curtain and take his place at the podium, his shoulders were slumped forward in a poor attempt to cover his appearance from the eyes of the eagle-eyed reporters. He was tired, as evidenced by the deep lines drawn beneath his eyes, and his expression was drowning in various shades of sadness, grief and fear, visible for every eye and camera in the room to see. His eyes looked haunted by something no one else could see.

His posture almost made it seem like the man had reverted back to the unprepared teenaged boy who had been expected to always think of his country and his people before his own needs. In his defense, the tragedies that had occurred at the time of the emperor's rise to the throne had been in no way his – or anyone else's – fault, but rather the plans of the mentally unbalanced former Luna Queen Levana.

The emperor's return to what could only be interpreted as a defeated hunch of his body made the reporters in the room uncertain and restless. None of them could fathom the reasons behind the look in their leader's eyes, and all of them were almost afraid of what they would hear.

Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth opened his mouth to speak, and the words that escaped were not what had been expected. Based on the little information given by the emperor's expression and his posture, what had been expected was the announcement of war between the Earthen Union and the resistance that had been using violent methods to send the message that they opposed the migration of Lunars to Earth. What had been expected was another plague with the potential to become as widespread and devastating as letumosis had once been. What had been expected was something remotely close to the terrible, destructive, fragile things that both Earth and Luna combined had lived through during the last twenty years. Instead of every horrific thing imagined in horrifying detail by every reporter in the room, what is spoken is: "Empress Selene of the Eastern Commonwealth has fallen ill with an unknown virus—" the emperor falters for a moment, his voice cracking and his body sagging just a little more— "As the virus has not yet been identified, doctors have also not been able to determine if there is any medication available to treat the virus, but the medical team I have appointed to care for the empress are doing everything in their power to return her to health. Are there any questions in response to this announcement?"

Almost no one in the country had believed that the nature of the marriage between the lunar girl Selene Blackburn and their emperor had been one consisting of genuine love – she _was_ Lunar– but Emperor Kaito's announcement was quickly clearing that notion up; all of the reporters were speechless and trying to process everything as quickly as possible.

In the stunned silence of the press conference room, a reporter near the back jumped to her feet and stretched her microphone as far as she could reach to ensure that the emperor's answer to her question would be recorded. "Has there been any news that the unknown virus the empress has contracted has spread past the palace walls?"

"There has not been any reports as of yet, but there are people who are monitoring emergency phone calls so that the Eastern Commonwealth and the Earthen Union can take the necessary precautions if the virus does spread," Emperor Kaito answered efficiently.

The same reporter quickly questioned: "And are there any signs or symptoms that the public should look for if someone becomes ill?"

"It is difficult to tell if someone has contracted the virus without seeing a doctor first. There are not any specific signs of symptoms that identify the virus, but the public does not need to worry – the virus is not expected to become as widespread as letumosis. It has not, and is not expected to cause any fatalities."

Another reporter appeared above the crowd and questioned, "How have the prince and princess taken the news of their empress's illness?"

The emperor gripped onto the podium, squeezing the edges in his hands. "They are worried for their mother and hope that she will get well soon."

"What are _your_ opinions on the sickness of the empress?" Someone said loudly from the middle of the group of reporters. All microphones were raised a little higher into the air at this question.

Emperor Kaito's hands tightened on the podium and his knuckles began to turn a ghostly shade of white. "It is an unfortunate incident that – after the letumosis epidemic – no one should have to experience again. I love my wife very much and just wish that she will return to health soon so that she can be with our children and I, and faithfully rule this country by my side once more."

A new reporter near the front row stood from his chair and asked in a croaky voice, "What kind of… _repairs_ is the empress expected to undergo to eradicate the virus?" There was a hint of disgust in his voice that he had not been able to hide.

The eyes of the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth narrowed and became unnaturally still as he focused in on the reporter who had asked the question. He was a short, stumpy man with beady eyes and sandy-coloured hair, and he was stupid enough to have not yet realised that he had said the wrong thing.

Anger bloomed and grew across the face of the emperor, and he could not seem to hold it back. " _Empress Selene_ ," he said, putting special emphasis on the word 'empress' as to remind the man of the empress' status within the country, "may be a cyborg but that doesn't make her any less of a _person_ who deserves as much equality and respect as every other living being in the universe. She does not need ' _repairs_ ' when she gets sick, she needs _normal_ _medical treatment_." The reporter stumbled back a bit from the animosity directed towards him by the most important man in the country. "Please keep your outdated opinions about cyborgs to yourself when in my presence, as I do not wish to hear them, you—"

A man rushed out from behind the backstage curtain, and spoke quickly into the emperor in hushed tones. As he took a small step back and to the side, his arms held behind his back in a show of respect, the reporters could see that the man was royal advisor Konn Torin.

Emperor Kaito took a slow, deep breath and slowly said into the microphone, "In answer to the question, it is not yet known what procedures – if any – that doctors will need to perform on the empress to return her to her previous health. That will be all the questions I will be taking today. Thank you."

The emperor practically ran from the room in his hast to leave the reporters behind, Konn Torin a few steps behind him. A deathly still silence blanketed the reporters, every single one of them looking at the reporter who had asked the question about the empress' 'repairs'. Most were annoyed that this man's question had cut the press conference short, and so they would have to make do with the little information that they had gathered. Others were irritated that he had allowed his personal opinions to intrude on his work when journalism was supposed to be objective. Some were angry about his opinions on cyborgs, since they had long ago been given equality to others and were no longer considered to be scum of the earth creatures. All were proud of their emperor.

But no matter the thoughts that were running through all their heads – when given the signal by the palace guards – they all shuffled out of the room without saying a word.

* * *

 **A/N: Don't worry, Cinder totally gets better later on down the track :) I need her to have a long, LONG happily ever after with Kai. Not even the mortal lifespan is long enough for these two beautiful babies.**

 **Also, despite all the reactions written in response to the sandy-haired reporter, I do believe that everyone is allowed their own opinion and should not be judged or discriminated against for having that opinion, no matter how against it others may be.**


End file.
